This year Korean writer and director Bong Joon-Ho will preside over the jury that hands out the Camera d'Or (Golden Camera) award - the only cross-section award on the Croisette that is given to the best first feature. This year's winner will join the ranks of Michael Rowe (Leap Year, 2010), Warwick Thornton (Samson & Delilah, 2009), Steve McQueen (Hunger, 2008), Etgar Keret & Shira Geffen (Jellyfish, 2007), Corneliu Porumboiu (12:08 East of Bucharest, 2006) who all won the prestigious prize in the last five years.
The final Cannes sidebar of new feature films to unveil its lineup, the Directors' Fortnight (Quinzaine des Réalisateurs), announced 25 features this morning - 21 competing, and 4 special screenings. This year's edition is especially heavy on European films, which take up a whopping 17 of the 21 competing slots. Just like the Critic's Week selection, we've got a majority of debut films and films by little known directors, but also a handful of names that most cinephiles will already be familiar with.
The Berlin Film Festival which took place early last month had a pair of in competition for the Golden Bear entries in Der Rauber (The Robber) and Jud Suss - Film ohne Gewissen (Film without Conscience). Neither films won, but there was some controversy surrounding Jud Suss - Film ohne Gewissen which is Oskar Roehler's latest venture.
Yesterday’s day of coverage began by a morning chat/interview with filmmaker Ramin Bahrani – who was in Toronto to present the North American premiere of Chop Shop - a film that I was very fond and discovered at Cannes
The Counterfeiters is Austria's entry in the foreign-language Oscar race this year and Stefan Ruzowitzky's World War II drama has a good chance at making it in the final 5 selections with Sony Pictures Classics backing the picture.